With Stephen King’s name behind it and a resurgence of interest in nostalgia-fueled entertainment, 2017’s It was probably always going to be successful, but few could have predicted that it would earn widespread critical acclaim (Certified Fresh at 86%) and break box office records when it first opened. The runaway success of the film, which covered just half of King’s behemoth source novel, only further guaranteed that the sequel necessary to complete the story would be produced in short order, and that’s what we got this past weekend. As it turned out, fewer critics were on board with It: Chapter Two, resulting in a 64% on the Tomatometer, but it debuted right behind its predecessor to achieve the second-highest grossing horror film opening — and second-highest grossing opening in September — ever.
So we know audiences absolutely turned out to see the film, but what did they think of it? Based on over 12,000 verified audience reviews, It: Chapter Two currently holds an Audience Score of 80%, just a few points shy of the first film’s 84% Audience Score, even though the critics found it far less satisfying. With that in mind, we decided to dig into the audience reviews themselves to see what it was that regular moviegoers saw in Chapter Two that the critics didn’t. Check out the user reviews of It: Chapter Two and let us know what you thought of the film, and these reviews, in the comments. (Note, some of the reviews have been slightly edited for length and grammar/spelling.)
(Photo by Brooke Palmer/© 2019 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.)
My first thought when it was over was, “There was no need for this film.” It basically tells the same story as the first one, except with adults.
– Anne M, 3 stars
If you like chapter 1, you’ll like this.
– The Weasel, 4 stars
I personally loved it more than the first.
– Cody A, 5 stars
Just as fantastic as chapter one!
– Simon B, 5 Stars
Loved it. Almost as good as the original, but no one can beat Tim! Didn’t even feel that long.
– Ross K, 4.5 stars
I felt I had way more closure and understanding of the story once the end came than I did over the original version of It.
– Michael, 4.5 stars
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Felt like it was dragged out, and it wasn’t scary at all.
– Joey, 1.5 stars
Couldn’t figure out if it was trying to be funny or be a parody of itself, but it broke up any intensity it could have had.
– Adam R, 2.5 stars
It didn’t scare me, but it was sure funny. I could not stop laughing! It was good.
– Trenton S, 3.5 stars
This one actually scared me. At some times I was literally on the edge of my seat. Altogether a good film.
– Kyle, 4.5 stars
I haven’t seen a scary movie in years — I mean years, maybe a decade or so — that made me wanna go get baptized, christened, I mean, some type of soul-saving. Seriously. Now I’m scared of the following things: Baby hands, pomeranians, lumberjacks, old people (sorry, grandmom), fortune cookies — you know, everyday s–t. Thanks, Stephen.
– Stevie P, 5 stars
It… tried to be heartwarming in the end but fell short of that. It was kind of caught between fantasy and reality and couldn’t figure out where it wanted to rest.
– Adam R, 2.5 stars
It: Chapter Two brought a heartfelt ending to the 2-part story but fell short. It just feels like a movie I’d only watch one time and forget about later.
– Christian A, 2.5 stars
I wasn’t planning on crying in two separate scenes during this movie.
– Chris S, 5 stars
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
A gorgeous, wonderfully acted, fluidly directed, faithful, and emotionally satisfying second half (NOT SEQUEL — ask King and Muschietti) to what is possibly the first true horror epic.
– Andy S, 4.5 stars
I thought it followed the book really, really well, and it was a lot scarier.
– Hanna, 4.5 stars
True to the book. Loved seeing the kids again in chapter two. Pennywise is creepily good ????.
– ScoobyDoo, 5 stars
Way too long and drawn out.
– Lucinda, 1 star
Movie was way too long. Boring.
– Carlos, 1.5 stars
It was too long. It was too slow. It was too cliche. It was too predictable. It was too repetitive. It would do something once. Then It would do it again. Then It would do it again. Then It would do it again. It often seemed more like a hackneyed action movie than a horror movie.
– Pat C, 2 stars
Because it was so similar to chapter 1, I kept glancing at my watch. It felt slow, perhaps because they wanted to give each actor some time to shine in their own mini-story.
– Anne M, 3 stars
It didn’t feel like it was nearly three hours long.
– Hanna, 4.5 stars
Could have been edited down a bit; a lot of unnecessary scenes for a movie that’s almost three hours long. All in all, a good movie.
– Mike M, 4 stars
(Photo by Brooke Palmer/© 2019 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.)
It did have James McAvoy, who was good. It had Bill Hader, who was great. It also had a red-headed chick, a furrowed-eyebrow guy, a buff guy, and a token guy. Mostly though, It was just disappointing.
– Pat C, 2 stars
Well-acted, true, but the kids were just as good.
– Anne M, 3 stars
Bill Hader was easily the best character in this movie!
– Trenton S, 3.5 stars
It is well acted by all. Big props to Bill Hader’s wisecracking, yet not overdone, performance. Could have used a little more Pennywise, but definitely one of the better Stephen King adaptations.
– Allen L, 4 stars
The casting was perfect and the ending was beautiful.
– Hanna, 4.5 stars
Check out all of the user reviews for It: Chapter Two.
